Greetings and welcome to everyone gathered here today – to our visitors who have travelled from the four winds, to all who represent the four oceans, welcome to this placeYour Excellency the Rt Hon Governor General, Rt Hon Prime Minister of New Zealand, New Zealand, Australian and Japanese Ministers, Members of Parliament, my fellow Mayors, members of the Diplomatic Corps, distinguished guests - families and friends of those whose names are engraved on this memorial and everyone who has gathered today - I welcome you at this time to this place.

I wish to begin by acknowledging all who grieve for a loved one who died on the 22 Feb 2011;

This place is for you.

To each of you who was seriously injured on that day;

This place is for you.

To everyone who has experienced loss as a result of the earthquake - your home, your neighbourhood;

This place is for you.

To all the first responders and members of the emergency services and defence forces from New Zealand and overseas;

This place is for you.

And for everyone who reached out to help us in our time of need;

This place is for you.

On the 6th anniversary of that fateful day, we gather at Oi Manawa The Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial.

This is the place where we can come to reflect as individuals, as families, as communities, as a city, as a region, as a nation.

We reflect with sadness on all that we've lost. We think of those courageous people who were the first responders on this day. And we reflect with gratitude on all those whose lives are dedicated to the service of others who continue to defend our city at times like these.

This is a very special place for the families who lost loved ones.

Six years ago I attended some of their funerals.

I remember the Mayor at the time, Sir Bob Parker, giving a solemn undertaking that in time there would be a place for recording the names of those who had died.